General Training Reading 2024-12 Test 1 — IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Work Exchange Programme

A. From this year, all staff at our international offices are invited to participate in our work exchange programme. This means that your staff members can apply to work in a similar role in any of our other international offices for a period of up to three months. All that is required is that if a member of staff is interested in doing an exchange, they inform their HR department who will find an exchange placement for them.

B. The New York office has had an exchange programme for some years now with great success. The decision has been made to extend the programme worldwide because it has been found that there are enduring benefits to be had from increasing the links between the different offices around the world. Not only does it improve communications, it also increases the spread of information and ideas. Instead of all communications being exchanged between each international office and headquarters, the work exchange programme helps make connections between the other offices creating a network that is much more complex and rich. Both the staff and the company benefit from these placements.

C. Transport to the hosting country is provided by headquarters, and accommodation for the visiting employee is provided by the host office. There are some limits on the number of transfers an individual employee is allowed to do, but there is no limit on the number of exchanges from any one office.

D. It is required that the employee who is doing the exchange has at least professional working proficiency in English or the language of the host country. Online testing in English is available on the official website of the company if an employee needs to demonstrate their ability.

E. We discourage managers from not allowing employees to partake in the programme due to work commitments. If there is no period within a year when a member of a team is free to participate, it is a sign that either the team is understaffed or other members on the team lack adequate training. Also, employees that are highly valued are those that would probably be the most effective candidates for exchange.

Questions 1–7: Matching information

Look at the five sections, A–E. For which sections are the following statements true? Write the correct letter, A–E. NB You may choose any letter more than once.

1
Language requirements of the participant.
2
Benefits of the exchange programme.
3
Duration of the exchange period.
4
Paying for the exchange programme.
5
History of the exchange programme.
6
Work commitments inhibiting participation.
7
Initiating an application.

Water Conservation

A step to conserve water is the step to secure the future. The most essential of all the natural resources on earth is water. A drop of water is worth more than a sack of gold for the thirsty man. If each one of us makes an effort to save water today, it will save us later. Water conservation is what can reduce the scarcity of water. It aims to improve the efficiency of the use of water, reduce losses and waste and save money. Water conservation has become essential in all regions, even where water seems abundant. That's because our water resources are finite and they are getting smaller every year.

Water is Life: Everything on Earth requires water to sustain itself. But abusing water means that we are lessening its ability to provide us with this basic necessity. Water is a limited resource and Earth always has, and will always have, the same amount of water. The population growth puts a strain on water supplies and clean water is reduced by the pollution and contamination we create. We are polluting the water for all of Earth's creatures, sending chemicals like oil and fertilizers through our rivers that ultimately end up in the oceans. Sure, we can rely on water treatment plants to send us cleaner water, but a baby dolphin obviously can't build these facilities. Let's determine what is at stake if we continue down this path of water waste.

Less and/or more expensive energy: The extraction of common sources of energy (oil, gas, coal, biomass etc.) requires water. Hydropower, energy derived from falling water, uses fresh water. The less fresh water that we have the more expensive energy becomes. Less food: A full 70 percent of humanity's fresh water supply is used to grow crops. Freshwater fish, another major source of our diets and a large sector of the food chain require fresh water to survive. The more we pollute and/or abuse our water supply, the less likely we are to maintain a sustainable source of food. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 40 per cent of lakes prohibit fishing and swimming due to pollution.

What is to Blame? One of the other factors is population growth. While we can't spur the population, we can spur our abuse of water so that we can prevent millions more from dying from water-related illnesses. Climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The effects include reduced rainfall in some areas, halting the flow of fresh water to regions that were formerly accustomed to nature providing this very necessary resource. Deforestation has an impact that prevents our forests from collecting, storing, purifying and providing fresh water to populations that lie downstream.

What Can You Do? You can start by saving water at home. It can be achieved at a low cost. On a local level, do what you can to get involved in local events or non-profit organizations where factors that affect water - pollution, deforestation, poor agricultural practices etc. need to be addressed.

Questions 8–14: True/False/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? Write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information, FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

8
Saving water at home does not require any significant cost outlay.
9
Earth is a self-contained ecosystem concerning water.
10
Taking measures to conserve water not only saves you money, it also is of benefit to the greater community.
11
The more we abuse our water supply, the more likely we are to maintain a sustainable source of food.
12
Pollution from human activities, especially agriculture, makes its way into lakes, streams and ultimately our oceans.
13
On a local level, we should turn a blind eye to the global impacts of water scarcity and conservation.
14
Climate change prevents us from collecting, storing, purifying and providing freshwater to populations that lie downstream.

Fish & Ships Online Aquarium Services

Home Delivery - Yes! Fish & Ships can deliver freshwater and tropical fish directly to you! If you order from us, make sure you are at home during business hours to accept delivery when it arrives.

The fish are shipped in specially-made sealed bags filled with enough water and oxygen for the journey. The bags are packed in reinforced styrofoam boxes to ensure their safety and are delivered by our staff or a live-animal courier service. In this packaging, the fish remain at the right temperature and are comfortable so they arrive to you in perfect condition. The fish need to be transferred into your aquarium the same day they arrive.

Fish are delivered with a complete care guide to help you give them the best transition to their new tank, but you can call us if you need extra advice. We also enclose a small booklet on species care for each variety of fish in your order. The booklet has information on what to feed the fish, whether you can breed them, what type of environment they like living in, how big they will grow, and how long they usually live.

Shipping costs $25 per box of live fish, whether it is a whole tank or just one fish, and this is added to the cost of your purchase. There is free shipping for any purchase over $200. Of course you can always visit Fish & Ships in our High Street store and make your own selection. Our highly experienced staff are always available to give you advice on how to stock your aquarium with fish that are compatible with you and your lifestyle. If you are getting an aquarium for the first time, we can set you up with the aquarium itself and all the equipment you need including filter, water heater and lights. We also have a complete range of bottom-of-the-tank materials such as plants, rocks, sand and decorative items. Additionally, the store supplies food and health products for your fish.

Questions 15–21: Note completion

Choose ONLY ONE WORD for each answer.

n For home 15. _______ of fish, note that it will not arrive outside business hours

n The bags the fish are sent in contain 16. _______ As well as water

n Put the fish into your 17. _______ on the day they are delivered

n Fish & Ships supplies customers with a 18. _______ on caring for fish

n If you spend more than $ 19. _______ you get delivery at no cost

n You can choose your own fish if you visit the Fish & Ships 20. _______

n Fish & Ships on the High Streets sells the 21. _______ required for an aquarium

15
For home 15. _______ of fish, note that it will not arrive outside business hours
16
The bags the fish are sent in contain 16. _______ As well as water
17
Put the fish into your 17. _______ on the day they are delivered
18
Fish & Ships supplies customers with a 18. _______ on caring for fish
19
If you spend more than $ 19. _______ you get delivery at no cost
20
You can choose your own fish if you visit the Fish & Ships 20. _______
21
Fish & Ships on the High Streets sells the 21. _______ required for an aquarium

Modernization of Hospital

The modernization of hospitals and hospital services can be traced back to 1840 when facilities began to change their focus from caring for the impoverished and mentally ill, to becoming a place known for providing complete health care to the population. After the Second World War, the government identified a deficiency in the health care system and the response to was the passage of the Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care Act in 1946.

The Hill-Burton Act provided government subsidies to aid in the construction and modernization of local government hospitals as well as not-for-profit facilities. Hill-Burton established a goal ratio of 4.5 beds for every 1000 people; the greatest period of hospital growth due to this legislation was from 1947 to 1971 when an estimated $33 billion in governmental funding was distributed, with the goal being reached in 1980.

However, beginning in the mid-1980's changes in the reimbursement of claims for government-sponsored health care programs, managed care and the effect it had on the healthcare market place, and hospital closures, led to hospital downsizing to include the number of available inpatient beds as well as the number of facilities in operation.

The Effect of Changes in Hospital Reimbursement

Until the passage of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA), all claim reimbursement for services rendered was based on individual charges. This was an itemized billing for each day spent in a hospital bed as an inpatient, including charges for the services provided by other departments such as laboratory, radiology, and the various ancillary services that may have been provided to the patient as part of their hospitalization.

In some cases, closed facilities and areas within a facility were converted to other uses, including expansion of outpatient services and programs, but the underlying cause for the closure of the facilities was underutilization and the cost of maintaining underperforming facilities. To an extent, hospital downsizing is the result of the successful implementation of cost-saving programs that have shifted the primary areas for patient care from inpatient to various outpatient care facilities and disciplines. Beginning with the shift from cost-plus billing to PPS using DRG reimbursement and managing care to increase efficiency and reduce cost, the need for inpatient hospital beds has continued to decrease in response to the lessening need while the utilization of outpatient services continues to grow to meet the needs of patients and providers.

Questions 22–27: Note completion

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Slow and dynamic variations were observed in changing the services of hospital in the year 22. _______ But a significant change was seen after the incident of 23. _______. An 24. _______ was passed which promised cost effective Health Services in 1946. This Hill Burton reform not only promised establishing new hospitals but also focused on 25. _______ of local Healthcare establishments. In addition to this it also provided cost free services. The period between 1947 to 1971 saw a massive change when state actively took part in 26. _______ To reach a future goal. However it was witnessed in 1985 that these changes were not best in keeping up the services which led to a blow on Hospital market since many of the hospitals were closed and other had to suffer 27. _______

22
Slow and dynamic variations were observed in changing the services of hospital in the year 22. _______
23
But a significant change was seen after the incident of 23. _______.
24
An 24. _______ was passed which promised cost effective Health Services in 1946.
25
This Hill Burton reform not only promised establishing new hospitals but also focused on 25. _______ of local Healthcare establishments.
26
The period between 1947 to 1971 saw a massive change when state actively took part in 26. _______ To reach a future goal.
27
However it was witnessed in 1985 that these changes were not best in keeping up the services which led to a blow on Hospital market since many of the hospitals were closed and other had to suffer 27. _______

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is the progression of designing, launching and running an innovative business, which is habitually primarily a small business. The people who produce these businesses are called entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship has been defined as the "capacity and will to progress, establish and manage a business project along with any of its risks to make a turnover." While explanations of entrepreneurship typically emphasise on the launching and running of businesses, due to the high risks involved in launching a start-up, a substantial proportion of start-up businesses have to close due to "deficiency of funding, bad business choices, an economic disaster, dearth of market demand, or a blend of all of these."

A wider definition of the term is occasionally used, particularly in the field of economics. In this usage, an Entrepreneur is a unit which has the skill to find and act upon openings to translate inventions or technologies into products and services: "The entrepreneur is able to identify the commercial potential of the invention and establish the capital, talent, and other resources that turn a discovery into a commercially feasible innovation." In this sense, the term "Entrepreneurship" also captures innovative actions on the part of established firms, in addition to parallel activities on the part of new businesses. Entrepreneurship is an act of being an entrepreneur, or "the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, seeks to generate profits". Entrepreneurs act as managers and supervise the launch and development of an enterprise. Entrepreneurship is the course by which either an individual or a team classifies a business opportunity and obtains and positions the necessary resources essential for its manipulation. Early-19th-century French economist Jean-Baptiste Say provided an extensive definition of entrepreneurship, saying that it "moves economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and superior yield".

Entrepreneurs generate something new, something diverse-they change or transmute values. Regardless of the firm size, big or small, they can contribute in entrepreneurship opportunities. The prospect to become an entrepreneur needs four criteria. First, there must be opportunities or circumstances to recombine resources to produce profit. Second, entrepreneurship involves differences between people, such as privileged access to certain individuals or the capability to identify information about opportunities. Third, taking on risk is a need. Fourth, the entrepreneurial process entails the organization of people and resources. The entrepreneur is a factor and the study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work of Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Though, entrepreneurship was mainly overlooked theoretically until the late 19th and early 20th centuries and empirically until a thoughtful renaissance in business and economics since the late 1970s. In the 20th century, the understanding of entrepreneurship owes much to the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek. According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is a person who is keen and able to translate a new idea or invention into a positive innovation. Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called "the gale of creative destruction" to substitute in whole or in part inferior innovations across markets and industries, at the same time generating new products with new business models. In this way, imaginative destruction is largely accountable for the dynamism of industries and long-run economic growth. The belief that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory and as such is fiercely argued in academic economics. The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may comprise, developing a business plan, hiring the human resources, attaining financial and material resources, providing leadership, being responsible for both the venture's success and failure and lastly, risk aversion.

Entrepreneurship may function within an entrepreneurship ecosystem which often comprises:

Government programs and services that encourage entrepreneurship and support entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Non-governmental organizations such as small-business associations and organizations that offer guidance and mentoring to entrepreneurs (e.g. through entrepreneurship centers or websites)

Small-business advocacy organizations that lobby governments for amplified support for entrepreneurship programs and more small business-friendly laws and regulations

Entrepreneurship resources and amenities (e.g. business incubators and seed accelerators)

Entrepreneurship education and training programs presented by schools, colleges and universities

Financing (e.g. bank loans, venture capital financing, angel investing and government and private foundation grants)

In the 2000s, usage of the term "entrepreneurship" prolonged to include how and why some individuals (or teams) recognize opportunities, evaluate them as viable, and then decide to exploit them. The term has also been used to discuss how people might use these opportunities to develop new products or services, launch new firms or industries, and make wealth. The entrepreneurial process is undefined because opportunities can only be acknowledged after they have been exploited. Entrepreneurs display positive biases towards finding new possibilities and seeing unmet market requirements, and a bent towards risk-taking that makes them more likely to exploit business opportunities.

Questions 28–34: True/False/Not Given

28
Explanations of entrepreneurship characteristically stress on the introduction and running of businesses
29
Entrepreneurship is an act of being the owner of a business that intends to make profit
30
A person is an entrepreneur, regardless of the firm size, big or small
31
Great entrepreneurs are the ones who always look for success
32
The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may comprise of recruiting a large number of people
33
Business incubators and Seed accelerators are a part of entrepreneurship resources and amenities.
34
Opportunities are always limited for entrepreneurs

Questions 35–40: Sentence completion

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

35
Entrepreneurship is the development of designing, launching and _______ a business
36
In the area of _______ a broader description of the term is occasionally used
37
Entrepreneurship also considers innovative actions on the part of _______ businesses
38
The prospect to become an entrepreneur requires _______ standards
39
Third criteria focuses on taking _______
40
Entrepreneurship was mainly ignored _______ until the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Phiếu trả lời

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Hiện đáp án

1. D
The answer is D because it says, "It is required that the employee who is doing the exchange has at least professional working proficiency in English or the language of the host country."
2. B
The answer is B because it explains the benefits: "it has been found that there are enduring benefits...improves communications...increases the spread of information and ideas...helps make connections between the other offices creating a network."
3. A
The answer is A because it states, "your staff members can apply to work in a similar role in any of our other international offices for a period of up to three months."
4. C
The answer is C because it says, "Transport to the hosting country is provided by headquarters, and accommodation...is provided by the host office."
5. B
The answer is B because it mentions, "The New York office has had an exchange programme for some years now...the decision has been made to extend the programme worldwide."
6. E
The answer is E because it says, "We discourage managers from not allowing employees to partake in the programme due to work commitments."
7. A
The answer is A because it says, "if a member of staff is interested in doing an exchange, they inform their HR department who will find an exchange placement for them."
8. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "You can start by saving water at home. It can be achieved at a low cost."
9. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "Earth always has, and will always have, the same amount of water."
10. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "Water conservation...aims to improve the efficiency of the use of water, reduce losses and waste and save money." This benefits both individuals and the community.
11. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says, "The more we pollute and/or abuse our water supply, the less likely we are to maintain a sustainable source of food." The correct answer is the opposite of the statement.
12. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "We are polluting the water...sending chemicals like oil and fertilizers through our rivers that ultimately end up in the oceans."
13. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says, "do what you can to get involved in local events or non-profit organizations where factors that affect water...need to be addressed," so we should not ignore global impacts.
14. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says, "Deforestation has an impact that prevents our forests from collecting, storing, purifying and providing fresh water," not climate change.
15. delivery
The answer is 'delivery' because it says, "Fish & Ships can deliver freshwater and tropical fish directly to you!...make sure you are at home during business hours to accept delivery when it arrives."
16. oxygen
The answer is 'oxygen' because it says, "The fish are shipped in specially-made sealed bags filled with enough water and oxygen for the journey."
17. aquarium
The answer is 'aquarium' because it says, "The fish need to be transferred into your aquarium the same day they arrive."
18. booklet
The answer is 'booklet' because it says, "We also enclose a small booklet on species care for each variety of fish in your order."
19. 200
The answer is '200' because it says, "There is free shipping for any purchase over $200."
20. store
The answer is 'store' because it says, "you can always visit Fish & Ships in our High Street store and make your own selection."
21. equipment
The answer is 'equipment' because it says, "we can set you up with the aquarium itself and all the equipment you need including filter, water heater and lights."
22. 1840
The answer is '1840' because it says, "The modernization of hospitals and hospital services can be traced back to 1840."
23. second world war
The answer is 'second world war' because it says, "After the Second World War, the government identified a deficiency in the health care system..."
24. act
The answer is 'act' because it says, "the response...was the passage of the Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care Act in 1946."
25. modernization
The answer is 'modernization' because it says, "The Hill-Burton Act provided government subsidies to aid in the construction and modernization of local government hospitals..."
26. funding
The answer is 'funding' because it says, "the greatest period of hospital growth...was from 1947 to 1971 when an estimated $33 billion in governmental funding was distributed."
27. downsizing
The answer is 'downsizing' because it says, "hospital downsizing to include the number of available inpatient beds as well as the number of facilities in operation."
28. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "explanations of entrepreneurship typically emphasise on the launching and running of businesses."
29. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "Entrepreneurship is an act of being an entrepreneur, or 'the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, seeks to generate profits.'"
30. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage says, "Regardless of the firm size, big or small, they can contribute in entrepreneurship opportunities."
31. NOT GIVEN
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not mention that great entrepreneurs always look for success.
32. FALSE
The answer is FALSE because the passage says, "The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may comprise, developing a business plan, hiring the human resources..." but does not say it must be a large number of people.
33. TRUE
The answer is TRUE because the passage lists "business incubators and seed accelerators" as part of "entrepreneurship resources and amenities."
34. NOT GIVEN
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not say that opportunities are always limited for entrepreneurs.
35. running
The answer is 'running' because the passage says, "Entrepreneurship is the progression of designing, launching and running an innovative business."
36. economics
The answer is 'economics' because it says, "A wider definition of the term is occasionally used, particularly in the field of economics."
37. established
The answer is 'established' because it says, "the term 'Entrepreneurship' also captures innovative actions on the part of established firms."
38. four
The answer is 'four' because it says, "The prospect to become an entrepreneur needs four criteria."
39. risk
The answer is 'risk' because it says, "Third, taking on risk is a need."
40. theoretically
The answer is 'theoretically' because it says, "entrepreneurship was mainly overlooked theoretically until the late 19th and early 20th centuries."

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